Radiator cap



June 19; 1928. 1,673,810

J. A. DEWIRE RADIATOR CAP Filed Oct. 1924 Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. DEWIRE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 'ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE KINGSLEY-MILLEB COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RADIATOR CAP. 7

Application filed October 2 1924. Serial No. 741,107.

This invention relates to radiator caps, and with regardto certain more specific features, to radiator caps of the so-called keyless lockingtype.

Among the several objects of theinvention may be noted, the provision of a simple and inexpensive radiator cap, of rugged and durable means for preventing unauthorized removal of the cap from the radiator, and of ready means for opening and closing the caps while pouring in radiator contents. Other objects will be in part obviousand 1n part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the: features of construction, combinatlonof elements, and arrangements of parts, which are exemplified in the constructions hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the follow ing claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. lis a front elevation; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in central section, showingthe cap open.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in central section, showing the cap closed.

Similar reference characters indicate cor-' responding parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig.

2 of the accompanying drawings, thereis illustrated at 1 a main supporting ring having its lower portion 3 internally threaded to engage theupper end of the threaded radiator neck 5. (Fig. '1.) This ring 1 is surrounded'bythe body of the cap, in the form of a second outer ring 7 locked to the supporting ring 1 by the circular spring ring 9 received in suitable grooves in both vthe supporting and outer rings. After the cap has been telescoped over the supporting ring the circular spring ring lying in the supporting ring groove is under compression until the grooves line up, when it springs outwardly, overlaps the joint betweencap and inner ring, and thereby locks the supporting ring and cap against relative axial movement, while it permits the cap to rotate upon the supporting ring. The cap may have any suitabe design and is shown provided w th ornamental extensions or arms 11, which may also serve as convenient handles for ro tating it. p

In order to lock the cap and ring against relative rotation in one. direction, while permitting free relative rotation in the opposite direction, there is provided preferablya pair of ball clutches arranged on opposite sides of the ring. Each clutch comprises a steel ball 13 carried loosely within an inclined slot 15 cut tangentially on ring 1. The slot beng tangentially cut is of varying depths, bemg deepest at the middle portion and shallow at the ends thereby affording wedging action on the balls 13 at the slot extremities. When the cap is rotated in a direction such as to screw the ring 1 down over the neck 5, the balls 13 being normally retained by gravity at the lower ends of the inclined slots are wedged in at the lower ends of said slots, thereby locking the cap to the supporting ring, whereupon the lower threaded portion 13 of the supporting ring is screwed home. Rotating the cap 7 to unscrew the device from a radiatorresults in the balls being rolled up (by frictional engagement with the cap body) in their respective inclined slots to the deep central portions of the same where said balls lose their grip and the cap turns on the supporting ring without unscrewing it. The bridge 17 over the central part of the slot 15 breaks contact between the balls and the adjacent surface on the cap thereby preventing a frictional bore from carrying the balls on up to a iamming position at the upper end of the slots with consequent turning ofi of the device. The lower skirt 19 of the cap covers the lower portion of the supporting ring thereby preventing the use of a Stillson or other wrench for loosening the ring.

resulting in the reversal of the locking ac tion of the ball clutches. That is, in an inverted position of the radiator the balls tend to roll to the opposite ends of the grooves 17, as a result of which the cap may rotate the supporting ring in a direction such as to permit unscrewing of the device from the radiator, but the cap will turn freely when rotated in the opposite direction The cap includes a hinged cover 21, thehinge being arranged preferably at the rear. The hinge consists of a pin 23 passing through twolugs on the cap and a single .lug on the cover. The hole for the pin does not pass completely through oneoflthe cap lugs,

making itdifiicult or impossible to drivethe .pin out. Said pin has a driving fit in said cap lugs, rendering it diflicult or nnposslble to withdraw the pin, inasmuch as the exposed end doesnot project beyond its supporting lug; i

The front portion of the cap 7. is enlarged to form a support for the plate 25 The ;plate 25 n ay'car-ry any suitable ensignia and be ornamental. It is shown in the form of a shieldlbearing the initial of the "owner.

The upper portion of the forwardly enlargedlportion of the capextends rearwardly in the form of two'flat walls 27 and a third centrally 'located catch '29. These walls serve to enclose the latchfto be de scribed. The catch 29 engages with the latch when the latter is manipulated to lock shut the hinged cover. Forwardlylocated on the hinged cover 21 is :the lug 3 1 hollowed out to, receive the thumb or finger plate 33. Saidtliumb plate 33 Icomprises, beside its plate, two lower legs 35which are pinned within the hollow lug 31 and straddle the latch 37;, said latch be-.

ing pinned in a slot formed from the hol low portion to the forward edge of chewing 31. The latch and thumb ,plate are rotatably mounted onthe'ir respective pins. The latch 37 comprises a flat plate having formed at its lower end an engaging rear .38. whichwhen properly set, engages the catch 29', thereby holding the cover shut. WVhen otherwise set it clears the catch and permits opening of the cover. ,latch has formed thereon the (ear 39, which engages with the lower edge of the thumb :plate when the .latter is swung forward Above its center of rotation the thereby throwing the engaging ear v88 rearwardly allowing it to disengage the catch 29, in order that the cover may be raised. 1 The latch zalso comprises a rearward em tensionhaving'formed'on its upper .edge two indentations 41 and 43, the rear indentation 43 being higher than the forwardone 41 when the latch is in open position, i. e, when the cover is ready to open. Therefore assuming that it is desired to latch the" cover shut, the thumb ,plate'is pushed rearwardly engaging first with the forward indentation, thereby throwing the car 38 upwardly plate is pushed furtherbacki until itdoes engage the rearward indentation thereby increasing the downward thrust. on the cover until the gasket is enough compressed, and a tight. closing, of the cover accomplished. When a gasket is new and unworn, engagement in the first indentation is suificient to compress it. The deep indentation 4 71s cut to sucha depth as will bring about a proper clearing position for the ear 38, when the .bottom of said indentation comes in contact- .with the lower edge of thethumbplate as it isrotated (forward with a view to opening the cover. It also serves to limit the 'throw ofthe thumb plate iiorward so that itwill not st-ride the :t'orwardly enlarged portion of the cap. The thumb plate and .latc'h are pinned in a manner similar to the pre viously described coverhinge, making their unauthorized removal dilficult or impossible.

A thin metallic gasket 49 is interposed between the gasket 45 and the inner ring 1 so that turning of the outerbody on the inner ring may be accomplished without tearing the gasket. The [gasket 'wouldJotherwise tend to cling to the inner ring as well as the rotating, cover were it notprevented by the gasket 49 provides" a free sliding surface. I

The device carried ,upon the cap may be a motometerfil or othersuitable instrument or ornament, and islieldto the cap between a shoulder 53 ,a1 1d a nut 55, fittedwith setscrew and washer, on its threaded stem 57. The stem carries. a second nut 59 hearing against a washe'r'fil of some softrnetal such its as annealed brass or copper andhaving a raised central; portion. The washer 61 is of such diameter as to ,bereceive d loosely withn the; undercut groove 63 ofthe cover. In

ass m ling, the pa s, the nut, 59 is ight ne until the rown'ed washer 6l flattens out somewhat and increases its diameter sufficiently ,to lock it permanently within the igroove 63. This washer prevents access to the nut 55, whichfholjds the motometer to theicap, andth us prevents the. removal of the motometer from the cap. Accidental or intentional loosening or removal of the nut v59 does not result in loosening the washer ,61, which cannot be removed except by destroying or otherwisefmutilating the washer or some other .part of the structure.

In filling the radiator the operator simply pulls forward the thumb plate and swings "the cover up. After filling. he ,dropsthe cover and presses, 'backthe thumb plate thereby closing the device tightly and clampingthe outer ring to the inner ringthrough the gasket, thus holding the cap in a given hinged on said cap-body, a compressible gasposition on the radiator. Two movements suffice for the entire operation.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invent-ion, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a radiator-cap, the combination of a cap-body adapted to be secured to a radiator-neck and having a catch, a cover hinged on said cap'body, a compressible gasket between said cover and cap-body, a latch hinged on said cover adapted to engage said catch to clamp said cover closed on said gasket, and a finger-piece hinged on said cover cooperating with said latch and adapted to release it from said catch and adapted to cause it to clamp said cover closed on said gasket by engagement with said catch.

2. In a radiator-cap, the combination of a cap-body adapted to be secured to a radiator-neck and having a catch, a cover ket between said cover and cap-body, a latch hinged on said cover adapted to engage said catch to clam said cover closed on said gasket and having graduated surfaces, and a finger-piece hinged on said cover cooperating with said latch adapted to release it from said catch and adapted to cause said latch to clamp said cover closed on said gasket in diflerent degrees by engagement with said graduated surfaces.

3. In a radiator-cap, the combination of a cap-body ada ted to be secured to a radiator-neck an having a catch, a cover hinged on said cap-body, a compressible gasket between said cover and cap-body, a latch hinged on said cover adapted to engage said catch to clamp said cover closed on said gasket and having an ear and graduated surfaces, and a fin er-piece hinged on said cover cooperating wlth said latch adapted to release it from said catch by rocking said latch by engagement with its ear and adapted to cause said latch to clamp said cover closed on said gasket in different degrees by engagement with said graduated surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 29th day of September, 1924.

JOHN A. DEWIRE. 

